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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Fans wearing the familiar gold-and-green-trimmed shirts of Brazils national team were still streaming up the ramp and into the Maracana Stadium when Neymar struck. All of 15 seconds had elapsed since the opening whistle.As it turned out, there was no need to hurry, let alone worry. Whatever terrible toll these Olympics wind up extracting from this cash-strapped, soccer-mad nation, its already clear that wont put a dent in the Selecao.Its 6-0 semifinal win Wednesday over Honduras kept Brazil in pursuit of the Olympic gold medal -- the one important international prize the only five-time World Cup champions have never won.Im happy for the goals but the most important thing is that we made it to the final, said Gabriel Jesus. It was important to win like this, playing well and with a lot of goals.The locals expect them not just to win, but to do it with style, keeping faith with a long line of stars -- beginning with Pele -- who set the bar high with their commitment to play o jogo bonito (the beautiful game). By that standard, Neymars opening tally was a comedy of errors.Honduran defender Johnny Palacios clumsy clearing attempt from the top of his goal box bounced off Neymars shins and the slim forward kept his balance and followed it toward the net. Goalkeeper Luis Lopez rushed out, went to the ground and tried to spread himself, but his clearing attempt, too, bounced off Neymar and rolled slowly forward once more, this time into the net.We can admit now -- we were all nervous when we came. The last game (against Mexico) was too close, said Rio native Marcio Salles.Salles was wearing the jersey of former Brazilian player Hulk and dancing in the concourse afterward alongside his pals as samba music filtered through the stadium.But even when it was still only 1-0, Salles added, they showed confidence and then ... they honored this place and played as they should.At least Brazils other two scores before halftime were artistic successes. Gabriel Jesus beat Lopez with the flick of his right boot after running onto a surgical cross from Luan in the 26th minute to make it 2-0; then he outraced a Honduran defender and scooped up a perfectly weighted pass from Neymar in the 35th , finishing the breakaway with a rocket into the roof of the net.Footballers like Neymar, who draws his hefty paycheck from the Spanish giant Barcelona, are the countrys most famous exports. At last count, there were more than 600 Brazilians employed in the top leagues in Europe, where the money is good and the living is much easier than back home.Neymar left Brazil in 2013 as a 21-year-old and is one of three senior players on Brazils team; Olympic rules require the remaining players to be 23 or younger. So while only four of the players on the roster currently play overseas, 10 more will likely be gone within the next two to three years. Prominent in that group are Garbiel Barbosa, known in these part as Gabigol and Gabriel Jesus, who signed Premier League powerhouse Manchester City.By comparison, all but two of Honduras 18 players ply their trade in the countrys domestic league, and nearly all of them are likely to stay there.Including Neymar wasnt simply about winning Olympic gold, but a way to let him begin forming a partnership with Gabigol and Gabriel Jesus, two youngsters who also figure prominently in Brazils 2018 World Cup plans. The nation is still keening for revenge over the way Germany humiliated them in the last World Cup -- 7-1 en route to the title -- and on their home soil no less.That much was apparent right after Brazils first tally, when fans, clearly pulling for Germany in its semifinal match against Nigeria later in the day, began chanting, Hey Germany, just wait! Your turn is coming up!---Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org and Twitter.com/JimLitke. Cheap Nike Shoes From China . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Discount Shoes For Sale . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. http://www.wholesaleshoesusa.com/ . Deulofeu injured a muscle in his right leg in Evertons 4-1 win over Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday. Barcelona says that its team doctors will "co-ordinate" with Evertons medical staff as Deulofeu recovers. Fake Shoes 2020 . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. Wholesale Nike Shoes .ca. Hey Kerry, big fan of yours, just finished reading your book. I think that we all saw the Canucks/Flames line brawl just after puck drop. It was obvious that something was about to happen, even to the referees because the fourth lines were on to start. PHILADELPHIA -- As the years and months dwindle down to precious weeks and days for Ryan Howard in Philadelphia, the signs are trending in a positive direction. Howard is hitting the ball with enough gusto to think he might have a spot on a major league roster somewhere in 2017. The mere suggestion would have seemed ludicrous in late June, when Howard was underwater to the tune of a .140 batting average and a .531 OPS.Phillies fans might even be getting sentimental on him as the end draws near. Last weekend, on Jim Thome Wall of Fame Night at Citizens Bank Park, the crowd summoned Howard from the dugout for a curtain call in response to a grand slam against the Colorado Rockies.Viewed in this context, the latest news out of Major League Baseball was just another item to check off the box in Howards farewell-to-Philly valedictory.At noon Friday, the commissioners office cleared Howard and Washingtons Ryan Zimmerman of any wrongdoing in MLBs investigation of an Al Jazeera report on performance-enhancing drugs in sports. Both players were absolved of any violations of MLBs drug program, and they released statements saying theyre looking forward to a resolution of their ongoing litigation against Al Jazeera.As the Phillies prepared to play St. Louis on Friday, Howard expressed a sense of relief over baseballs decision.Im just glad its behind me, Howard said. Thats about it. The process is the process. Im glad its behind me and I can move forward and just focus on playing baseball.The MLB investigation was just another obstacle in a trying season for Howard. Boos abounded during his early struggles, and he hit rock-bottom in early June when a miscreant fan threw a beer bottle in his direction. A few days later, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin told Howard that Tommy Joseph was the teams new starting first baseman and Howard would have to adjust to coming off the bench.Howard had two ways to go: He could wallow in self-pity and become a negative force, or continue to plug away and maintain a positive attitude in a clubhouse filled with young players. Howards conscious choice to take the high road was a reflection of his character and professionalism.In June, Howard appeared at Citizens Bank Park with his wife, Krystle, for a childrens book reading before a game. A month later, he opened up a 7,500-square-foot youth training center in Philadelphia tthrough his foundation.dddddddddddd His underwhelming stats and the injuries show that Howard hasnt lived up to his $125 million contract by any stretch of the imagination. But hes never brought his baggage into the clubhouse or lost sight of the responsibilities that come along with being a longtime star athlete in a community.Its been a tough year, and Im sure its weighed on him a lot, said Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp. Its the last year of his contract, and Im sure there were many things going through his mind with the way he was treated here by the fans. But he handled it with nothing but professionalism and stayed with it. To see him bust out of it and kill it for the past month, its been fun to watch.This is the Ryan Howard everybody saw when he was winning (the MVP) and hitting 50 home runs a year. This is the Ryan Howard they grew to love, and they stayed with him for the most part. He hit some rough patches. Thats part of the game. But he never got out of being Ryan. For all the stuff hes gone through off the field, youd never know.The numbers, even in a small sample size, are startling. In August, entering Fridays game, Howard is hitting .419 (13-for-31) with a .968 slugging percentage and a 1.422 OPS. With his recent hot streak, he moved into a tie with Carlton Fisk for 75th place on MLBs career list with 376 home runs. Next up: Norm Cash and Jeff Kent at 377.As the Phillies play out the string en route to their fourth straight sub-.500 season, its only natural to wonder if an American League team in need of a power bat off the bench might consider trading for Howard in August. He wont have any trouble clearing waivers, so thats one potential impediment out of the way. .If he keeps hitting like hes hitting, somebodys going to want him, Mackanin said. Im happy for him. I didnt like telling Howie hes not going to play as much. Its not fun doing that kind of thing. But the bottom line is, I pull for him. Hes a great guy. Id like to see him succeed and go on to play as long as hed like to play.Barring a surprise of cosmic magnitude, Ryan Howard wont be back in Philadelphia in 2017, but at least he has a chance to go out on positive terms. There will be a few more standing ovations before he says goodbye. ' ' '